


Speak the Truth

by KateKintail



Series: The Great Beyond [29]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-09
Updated: 2013-07-09
Packaged: 2017-12-18 04:45:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/875776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KateKintail/pseuds/KateKintail
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charlie takes care of Neville and says more than he means to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Speak the Truth

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Not my characters or world or anything like that! I make no money at all from this! 
> 
> Prompt: Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.
> 
> Author Notes: Written for the Harry Potter May Madness community in 2013. I’m going to try to set all my stories this month in my “The Great Beyond” series (though I probably won't write them in any particular order): http://archiveofourown.org/series/35656

Charlie stood in the doorway to the herbologist’s workshop, arms akimbo. Neville sat on a tall work stool in front of a table covered in plants and pots and dirt. He put down his trowel and picked up a handkerchief, wiping it at his nose. That was all Charlie could take. “Nev, it’s time to go home.”

Neville looked up, blinking in confusion. He checked his pocket watch. “It’s oddly three o’clock. Your shift doesd’t edd udtil seved. Add I’b working udtil five.” 

“Nope. You’re ill and you can’t work when you’re ill.” Neville looked like he was going to object, but Charlie didn’t give him a chance. “Don’t try to deny it. I heard you coughing in the shower and saw you blowing your nose when I was making breakfast and you thought I wasn’t watching. You’re ill and I’m taking you home. I’ve already taken the time off and gotten April to cover the rest of my shift.” 

Neville sighed, slumping over weakly. “Subtibes I wish I still had a roob here at the reserve. I dod’t eved feel ub to flyig hobe.” 

With his arm around Neville, Charlie leaned close. “Then we’ll take the bus. And I’ll snuggle close and keep you warm the whole time.” 

A weak smile answered this, along with a small nod. “Okay.” His breath caught for a moment, then he quickly brought his arm up in time to sneeze into the crook. “’Scuse be. Sniff! You bight dot wadt to get too close, though. Last thig I wadt is you catchig this frob be.” 

“Wouldn’t be so bad,” Charlie said, with a sly smile. “Besides, you’re pretty cute right now, with your red nose and flushed cheeks. You look all weak and vulnerable and needy.”

Neville shook his head, chuckling then coughing. “I swear, you have sub of the stradgest kidks, Charlie Weasley.” 

“It’s not my fault that I find everything you do incredibly sexy.”

“Because you’re crazy.”

“Because I love you.” 

The words were out of Charlie’s mouth before he’d even realized he’d said them. They’d just come so easily. But they were the first time he’d ever said them to anyone, apart from maybe his parents. And he and Neville had tried hard to stay away from sentiment, knowing that Neville was leaving Romania in less than a year now, with no possibility of an extension this time. 

Neville must have remembered this because he pretended to have not heard, when he clearly had. “My ears are stuffed ub, just like by dose,” He said. “Add I thidk I’b ruddig a fever. Sniff! Take be hobe?” Neville sniffled pathetically.

Charlie nodded. “Of course.” He paused, giving himself a moment to second guess himself. Then he took a deep breath and said, “I love you” with all the emotion and meaning and weight that those three words deserved. Neville went rigid in Charlie’s embrace, so Charlie rubbed his back, squeezed him tight. “I love you, Neville Longbottom.”

Neville pulled back, his whole face flushed. “I love you too.” He snuggled into Charlie’s chest. 

“I’m going to take you home now.”

Neville bobbed his head in a nod. 

“And then I’m going to make love to you like never before.”

Neville laughed into his chest and nodded again. “Actually, I dod’t thidk I’b that feverish after all.”


End file.
